In two to three weeks, it will be clear how effective Covishield vaccine is against COVID-19 variant Omicron, Adar Poonawalla, the chief of Serum Institute of India which manufactures the Indian version of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, told a news channel on Monday.
In an interview to NDTV, Poonawala said that Omicron-specific booster shots are possible and added that the focus of the government must remain to get everyone double vaccinated.
Prime Minister on Saturday asked officials to reconsider plans on easing international travel restrictions in the light of the new coronavirus variant, Omircron, which has been classified as a variant of concern by the WHO.
On Friday, India had decided to resume international passenger flights from countries deemed "at risk" of the coronavirus, while ordering tightened border screening on the account of lower reported cases.
After Belgium, Germany on Saturday said it has discovered a new positive case resembling Omicron variant.
Germany’s social affairs minister said that a traveller from South Africa was detected with similar mutations.
“Last night several Omicron-typical mutations were found in a traveller returning from South Africa," tweeted Kai Klose, social affairs minister in the western German state that is home to Frankfurt airport.